Jumpin’ Jack Flash White Bean Stew

by Anne Bennett on March 20, 2010

Remember the Rolling Stones song, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash, it’s a gas, gas, gas”? Beans have been given a bad rap because of their unfortunate impact on the digestive tract. (Julia Child referred to this phenomenon as the “rooti-ti-toots”.) Consider, however, their giant status as a healthy, economical food, loaded with protein and consumed by way more people in the world than I know personally.

That being dutifully stated, here is a super-easy way to turn canned white beans into a colorful and delicious entree. The original recipe, from Gourmet Magazine, called for cubes of ham and baby romaine lettuce. I’ve included the ham in the recipe below but I left it out (still suffering from a December ham hangover) and I really didn’t miss it. I also used baby spinach leaves instead of romaine, as I can’t yet fathom the idea of cooking salad greens. (Yes, technically spinach is a salad green but it’s a cooked vegetable as well, so it passes muster.)

This is a versatile recipe; the first night I served it plain (with whole wheat rolls and salad). The next night I grilled shrimp and placed them on top of the stew. You could do likewise with grilled chicken. Add whatever herbs or spices appeal to you. I sprinkled on lots of crushed red pepper and finished it off with a splash of Frank’s Original Hot Sauce. Yee hah!

Cooking the spinach just until it wilts allows it to retain its vibrant color.

Heat olive oil in a medium Dutch oven and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Coarsely cut up tomatoes in the can using kitchen shears and add to the garlic. Stir in broth, beans, ham and pepper and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 more minutes. Season to taste and enjoy.